into effect. that could take a painful toll on the u.s. economy. let's go to capitol hill. our senior congressional correspondent dana bash is standing by with the latest. dana? >> reporter: well, wolf, the vote that the speaker calls plan b is about an hour away. we're told that republican leaders at this hour are still twisting arms, republican arms to make sure that this passes. there's a weird sense here, a weird atmosphere that things are moving fast but stalled at the same time. the fiscal cliff impasse is so surreal, democrats are resorting to movie analogies, calling republicans thelma and louise. >> rather than face the reality of what lies ahead, they hit the gas. that's what we're hearing from speaker boehner now. >> reporter: don't blame us, say the republicans, it's the president. >> he's doing everything within his power to take us over the cliff and he is set on dividing us. >> reporter: adding to the sense that congress is in an alternate universe, instead of negotiating to avert the fiscal cliff, the house will vote on the gop plan b, a bill to keep tax rates in place